220:, as a "carbonized ghost" that preserved very little detail, not even showing signs of individual egg capsules. Its outline was a similar shape to an axe-head, like Lehmann's. The specimen was within the sedimentary infill of a mature macroconch. There were no sign of any other soft parts. The egg sac is positioned near the opening and oriented in a way that might suggest it was attached to the shell. These specimens have been used to support the contention that macroconch ammonite shells were those of females. Apart from these specimens this would just be a general assumption.
20:
808:
802:
796:
308:
1674:
1686:
266:
The
Kimmeridge Clay cephalopod eggs are regarded as ammonite eggs based on "strong" circumstantial evidence. These spawning grounds were sometimes small geographic areas that were used continuously for long periods of time. Ammonite taxa that remained in one place for a long period of time are called
115:
on its surface. Since phosphate is mobile only in organic form this suggests the eggs were already decaying before fossilization. The fact that the ammonite eggs survived decomposition to become fossilized suggests two possibilities. The first is that the eggs were transported from the well-aerated
209:
completely, destroying its fine detail. Other than the eggs, the specimen does not preserve any of the ammonite's soft parts. The eggs preserved within this shell probably did not belong to the shell's occupant since the eggs probably would have been removed with the rest of the body. The shell
279:
since they were the ammonites eudemic to the region at the time the egg fossils formed. The researchers described the
Kimmeridge Clay ammonite eggs as offering "the best insights so far" into the embryonic phase of the ammonite life cycle. Since the Kimmeridge Clay is so thoroughly studied the
133:
Multiple instances of fossil ammonite eggs have been observed in the fossil record. However, prior to 2009 only two credible examples of ammonite eggs had been reported to the scientific literature. The first was an apparent clutch of eggs preserved in the sediment that filled in the
250:
ammonites. They were interpreted by the researchers as ammonite eggs sacks and are the best preserved specimens of such known to science. The parents of the egg sacks are thought to be two local ammonite genera co-occurring with the eggs,
205:, reported in 1966, was a pouch of about 50 empty egg capsules lying in the innermost part of a mature macroconch's body chamber. The specimen was not filled with sediment, but rather crystalline calcite. The eggsac had been
280:
environment and depositional context is better understood for these ammonite eggs than those reported in the previous two examples. The eggs provide evidence that ammonites had similar life cycles to modern
296:
are currently known from the fossil record, although Steve Etches, Jane Clarke, and John
Callomon have observed that this may be due to a lack of people actually looking for them.
82:
egg fossils have ever been discovered although this may be because scientists have not properly searched for them rather than an actual absence from the fossil record.
201:
The first two possible ammonite egg specimens were found in sediments filling the interior of the body chambers of ammonite shells. Lehmann's specimen from the
566:
190:
dating back to the early
Triassic. However a later summary of ammonite embryos from the same age and location does not mention any eggs being known and
510:
Etches, S., Clarke, J. and
Callomon, J. 2009. Ammonite eggs and ammonitellae from the Kimmeridge Clay Formation (Upper Jurassic) of Dorset, England.
108:
fossils are known although there are no associated egg fossils. One of the eggs preserved in the
Kimmeridge Clay ammonite egg cluster K1486 bears
851:
120:
waters near the sea floor. The second possibility is that the eggs were laid in waters whose oxygen abundance varied, possibly by season.
67:
are the best known and only a few putative examples of these have been discovered. The best preserved of these were discovered in the
807:
801:
1717:
559:
246:. The eggs are subspherical to spherical in shape. Some are isolated but some were also found in association with the shells of
795:
336:
1175:
836:
552:
1627:
1038:
1033:
539:
1544:
1429:
19:
1622:
60:
1043:
527:
Lewy, Z. 1996. Octopods: Nude ammonoids that survived the
Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary mass extinction.
150:
period. This specimen was discovered in a concretion incorporated into glacial drift that came from the
664:
1712:
1577:
1048:
654:
139:
1112:
877:
767:
752:
731:
716:
313:
243:
212:
223:
In 2009, Steve Etches, Jane Clarke, and John
Callomon reported the discovery of eight clusters of
105:
1572:
1399:
1255:
1245:
1193:
1168:
691:
331:
1632:
1376:
981:
916:
1690:
268:
1136:
1107:
1017:
906:
896:
821:
816:
726:
701:
535:
518:
101:
1504:
1331:
1286:
1240:
1128:
1002:
974:
964:
959:
947:
932:
872:
777:
721:
393:
Etches, Clarke, and
Callomon (2009); "Discussion: Structure and taphonomy," pages 213–214.
363:
Etches, Clarke, and
Callomon (2009); "Discussion: Structure and taphonomy," pages 212–213.
326:
253:
228:
195:
96:
Ammonite eggs in well-aerated sea bottoms probably would have quickly been broken down by
71:
30:
25:
59:
of cephalopod eggs is scant since their soft, gelatinous eggs decompose quickly and have
1642:
1592:
1587:
1562:
1514:
1434:
1069:
891:
882:
856:
846:
841:
706:
696:
240:
217:
186:
135:
1706:
1678:
1602:
1552:
1409:
1321:
1161:
1094:
644:
584:
522:
414:
Etches, Clarke, and Callomon (2009); "Discussion: Structure and taphonomy," page 214.
375:
Etches, Clarke, and Callomon (2009); "Discussion: Structure and taphonomy," page 213.
354:
Etches, Clarke, and Callomon (2009); "Discussion: Structure and taphonomy," page 212.
247:
206:
151:
91:
56:
48:
216:. The researchers described the other specimen, reported by Muller in 1969 from the
1519:
1479:
1469:
1404:
1391:
1249:
1053:
952:
711:
611:
259:
462:
Etches, Clarke, and Callomon (2009); "Discussion: Taxonomic affinities," page 215.
1659:
1654:
1649:
1484:
1474:
1439:
1424:
1419:
1341:
1271:
1007:
762:
639:
293:
165:
109:
52:
1597:
1567:
1557:
1529:
1524:
1509:
1414:
1227:
1144:
1099:
911:
901:
747:
649:
606:
575:
321:
303:
202:
155:
97:
44:
435:
Etches, Clarke, and Callomon (2009); "Localities and Stratigraphy," page 205.
1499:
1449:
1367:
1336:
1326:
1316:
1296:
1217:
1132:
1074:
772:
621:
616:
271:" to that place. This leaves the most probable identity of the egglayers as
181:
160:
112:
79:
64:
1607:
1464:
1459:
1454:
1372:
1276:
1207:
997:
969:
224:
177:
147:
143:
68:
1637:
1617:
1534:
1381:
1311:
1301:
887:
659:
498:
Etches, Clarke, and Callomon (2009); "Discussion: Parentage," page 214.
281:
236:
173:
169:
104:. Fossil evidence supports this general idea since swarms of hatchling
75:
34:
1612:
1582:
1489:
1444:
1346:
1291:
1281:
1012:
544:
232:
117:
158:
shell. The second possible example was another adult macroconch of
1306:
757:
480:
Etches, Clarke, and Callomon (2009); "Conclusions," pages 215–216.
18:
180:
period. An additional less plausible case has been reported from
1362:
1157:
548:
1494:
1212:
1184:
384:
Etches, Clarke, and Callomon (2009); "Introduction," page 205.
489:
Etches, Clarke, and Callomon (2009); "Conclusions," page 216.
471:
Etches, Clarke, and Callomon (2009); "Conclusions," page 215.
453:
Etches, Clarke, and Callomon (2009); "Discussion," page 212.
444:
Etches, Clarke, and Callomon (2009); "Discussion," page 209.
410:
408:
371:
369:
426:
Etches, Clarke, and Callomon (2009); "Abstract," page 204.
154:. The ammonite itself was a fully grown individual with a
1153:
184:
where an egg clutch was purportedly associated with a
540:
10.1130/0091-7613(1996)024<0627:ONATST>2.3.CO;2
422:
420:
1543:
1390:
1355:
1264:
1226:
1200:
1087:
1062:
1026:
990:
940:
929:
865:
829:
815:
740:
684:
677:
632:
599:
592:
583:
210:itself of Lehmann's specimen belonged to the genus
402:Lewy (1996); "Fossil Ammonoid Eggs," page 629.
1169:
560:
116:location they were originally laid in to low-
8:
1176:
1162:
1154:
937:
826:
681:
596:
589:
567:
553:
545:
347:
198:genus, so this report is not reliable.
16:Fossilized remains of cephalopod eggs
7:
1685:
847:Flotation devices ("secondary fins")
239:. The fossil sites were within the
1139:) → Juvenile → Subadult → Adult •
14:
29:eggs have been reported from the
1684:
1673:
1672:
883:Hepatopancreas (digestive gland)
806:
800:
794:
523:10.1111/j.1502-3931.2008.00133.x
306:
852:Funnel–mantle locking apparatus
337:Timeline of egg fossil research
1039:Nuchal folds (occipital folds)
1034:Nuchal crest (occipital crest)
1:
292:Unlike ammonites, no eggs of
1145:Protoconch (embryonic shell)
227:eggs in the Lower and Upper
172:, which dated to the Upper
63:to fossilize. Eggs laid by
1734:
89:
1668:
1191:
1123:
792:
1718:Prehistoric cephalopods
41:Cephalopod egg fossils
37:
1126:Developmental stages:
1018:Spadix and antispadix
902:Nephridia ("kidneys")
22:
1578:Egg drop competition
1113:Squid giant synapse
314:Paleontology portal
244:World Heritage Site
142:dating back to the
1573:Egg-and-spoon race
1400:List of egg dishes
1213:Fish and amphibian
1194:List of egg topics
1044:Occipital membrane
917:Pericardial glands
612:Argonautid eggcase
332:Reptile egg fossil
38:
1700:
1699:
1633:Ovo vegetarianism
1151:
1150:
1083:
1082:
982:Suckers and hooks
925:
924:
907:Nidamental glands
837:Dermal structures
790:
789:
786:
785:
673:
672:
1725:
1688:
1687:
1676:
1675:
1430:Custard desserts
1178:
1171:
1164:
1155:
1137:Doratopsis stage
1108:Squid giant axon
1027:Occipital region
938:
878:Ctenidia (gills)
873:Branchial hearts
866:Internal anatomy
830:External anatomy
827:
810:
804:
798:
682:
597:
590:
569:
562:
555:
546:
499:
496:
490:
487:
481:
478:
472:
469:
463:
460:
454:
451:
445:
442:
436:
433:
427:
424:
415:
412:
403:
400:
394:
391:
385:
382:
376:
373:
364:
361:
355:
352:
316:
311:
310:
309:
102:aerobic bacteria
1733:
1732:
1728:
1727:
1726:
1724:
1723:
1722:
1703:
1702:
1701:
1696:
1664:
1539:
1386:
1351:
1287:Ichthyoplankton
1260:
1222:
1196:
1187:
1182:
1152:
1147:
1119:
1104:Nervous system
1079:
1058:
1049:Olfactory organ
1022:
986:
931:
921:
861:
820:
811:
805:
799:
782:
736:
669:
640:Belemnoid guard
628:
617:Nautiloid shell
579:
573:
507:
502:
497:
493:
488:
484:
479:
475:
470:
466:
461:
457:
452:
448:
443:
439:
434:
430:
425:
418:
413:
406:
401:
397:
392:
388:
383:
379:
374:
367:
362:
358:
353:
349:
345:
327:Fish egg fossil
312:
307:
305:
302:
290:
273:Aulacostephanus
254:Aulacostephanus
229:Kimmeridge Clay
196:Late Cretaceous
131:
126:
124:Cephalopod taxa
94:
88:
78:. Currently no
72:Kimmeridge Clay
31:Kimmeridge Clay
26:Aulacostephanus
17:
12:
11:
5:
1731:
1729:
1721:
1720:
1715:
1705:
1704:
1698:
1697:
1695:
1694:
1682:
1669:
1666:
1665:
1663:
1662:
1657:
1652:
1647:
1646:
1645:
1643:Vegreville egg
1635:
1630:
1625:
1620:
1615:
1610:
1605:
1600:
1595:
1590:
1585:
1580:
1575:
1570:
1565:
1560:
1555:
1549:
1547:
1541:
1540:
1538:
1537:
1532:
1527:
1522:
1517:
1512:
1507:
1502:
1497:
1492:
1487:
1482:
1477:
1472:
1467:
1462:
1457:
1452:
1447:
1442:
1437:
1432:
1427:
1422:
1417:
1412:
1407:
1402:
1396:
1394:
1388:
1387:
1385:
1384:
1379:
1370:
1365:
1359:
1357:
1353:
1352:
1350:
1349:
1344:
1339:
1334:
1329:
1324:
1319:
1314:
1309:
1304:
1299:
1294:
1289:
1284:
1279:
1274:
1268:
1266:
1262:
1261:
1259:
1258:
1253:
1243:
1238:
1232:
1230:
1224:
1223:
1221:
1220:
1215:
1210:
1204:
1202:
1198:
1197:
1192:
1189:
1188:
1183:
1181:
1180:
1173:
1166:
1158:
1149:
1148:
1124:
1121:
1120:
1118:
1117:
1116:
1115:
1110:
1102:
1097:
1095:Chromatophores
1091:
1089:
1085:
1084:
1081:
1080:
1078:
1077:
1072:
1066:
1064:
1060:
1059:
1057:
1056:
1051:
1046:
1041:
1036:
1030:
1028:
1024:
1023:
1021:
1020:
1015:
1010:
1005:
1000:
994:
992:
988:
987:
985:
984:
979:
978:
977:
972:
967:
957:
956:
955:
944:
942:
941:Brachial crown
935:
927:
926:
923:
922:
920:
919:
914:
909:
904:
899:
894:
885:
880:
875:
869:
867:
863:
862:
860:
859:
854:
849:
844:
839:
833:
831:
824:
813:
812:
793:
791:
788:
787:
784:
783:
781:
780:
775:
770:
765:
760:
755:
750:
744:
742:
738:
737:
735:
734:
729:
724:
719:
714:
709:
704:
699:
694:
688:
686:
679:
675:
674:
671:
670:
668:
667:
662:
657:
652:
647:
642:
636:
634:
630:
629:
627:
626:
625:
624:
614:
609:
607:Ammonoid shell
603:
601:
594:
587:
581:
580:
574:
572:
571:
564:
557:
549:
543:
542:
534:(7): 627–630.
525:
517:(2): 204–217.
506:
503:
501:
500:
491:
482:
473:
464:
455:
446:
437:
428:
416:
404:
395:
386:
377:
365:
356:
346:
344:
341:
340:
339:
334:
329:
324:
318:
317:
301:
298:
289:
286:
241:Jurassic Coast
192:Desmophyllites
187:Desmophyllites
136:living chamber
130:
127:
125:
122:
90:Main article:
87:
84:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1730:
1719:
1716:
1714:
1711:
1710:
1708:
1693:
1692:
1683:
1681:
1680:
1671:
1670:
1667:
1661:
1658:
1656:
1653:
1651:
1648:
1644:
1641:
1640:
1639:
1636:
1634:
1631:
1629:
1628:Organizations
1626:
1624:
1621:
1619:
1616:
1614:
1611:
1609:
1606:
1604:
1603:Humpty Dumpty
1601:
1599:
1596:
1594:
1591:
1589:
1586:
1584:
1581:
1579:
1576:
1574:
1571:
1569:
1566:
1564:
1561:
1559:
1556:
1554:
1551:
1550:
1548:
1546:
1542:
1536:
1533:
1531:
1528:
1526:
1523:
1521:
1518:
1516:
1513:
1511:
1508:
1506:
1503:
1501:
1498:
1496:
1493:
1491:
1488:
1486:
1483:
1481:
1478:
1476:
1473:
1471:
1468:
1466:
1463:
1461:
1458:
1456:
1453:
1451:
1448:
1446:
1443:
1441:
1438:
1436:
1433:
1431:
1428:
1426:
1423:
1421:
1418:
1416:
1413:
1411:
1408:
1406:
1403:
1401:
1398:
1397:
1395:
1393:
1389:
1383:
1380:
1378:
1374:
1371:
1369:
1366:
1364:
1361:
1360:
1358:
1354:
1348:
1345:
1343:
1340:
1338:
1335:
1333:
1330:
1328:
1325:
1323:
1322:Ovoviviparity
1320:
1318:
1315:
1313:
1310:
1308:
1305:
1303:
1300:
1298:
1295:
1293:
1290:
1288:
1285:
1283:
1280:
1278:
1275:
1273:
1270:
1269:
1267:
1263:
1257:
1254:
1251:
1247:
1244:
1242:
1239:
1237:
1234:
1233:
1231:
1229:
1228:Fossil record
1225:
1219:
1216:
1214:
1211:
1209:
1206:
1205:
1203:
1199:
1195:
1190:
1186:
1179:
1174:
1172:
1167:
1165:
1160:
1159:
1156:
1146:
1142:
1138:
1134:
1130:
1127:
1122:
1114:
1111:
1109:
1106:
1105:
1103:
1101:
1098:
1096:
1093:
1092:
1090:
1086:
1076:
1073:
1071:
1068:
1067:
1065:
1061:
1055:
1052:
1050:
1047:
1045:
1042:
1040:
1037:
1035:
1032:
1031:
1029:
1025:
1019:
1016:
1014:
1011:
1009:
1006:
1004:
1001:
999:
996:
995:
993:
991:Buccal region
989:
983:
980:
976:
973:
971:
968:
966:
963:
962:
961:
958:
954:
951:
950:
949:
946:
945:
943:
939:
936:
934:
928:
918:
915:
913:
910:
908:
905:
903:
900:
898:
897:Needham's sac
895:
893:
889:
886:
884:
881:
879:
876:
874:
871:
870:
868:
864:
858:
855:
853:
850:
848:
845:
843:
840:
838:
835:
834:
832:
828:
825:
823:
818:
814:
809:
803:
797:
779:
776:
774:
771:
769:
766:
764:
761:
759:
756:
754:
751:
749:
746:
745:
743:
739:
733:
730:
728:
725:
723:
720:
718:
715:
713:
710:
708:
705:
703:
700:
698:
695:
693:
690:
689:
687:
683:
680:
676:
666:
663:
661:
660:Spirula shell
658:
656:
655:Gladius (pen)
653:
651:
648:
646:
645:Cirrate shell
643:
641:
638:
637:
635:
631:
623:
620:
619:
618:
615:
613:
610:
608:
605:
604:
602:
598:
595:
591:
588:
586:
582:
577:
570:
565:
563:
558:
556:
551:
550:
547:
541:
537:
533:
530:
526:
524:
520:
516:
513:
509:
508:
504:
495:
492:
486:
483:
477:
474:
468:
465:
459:
456:
450:
447:
441:
438:
432:
429:
423:
421:
417:
411:
409:
405:
399:
396:
390:
387:
381:
378:
372:
370:
366:
360:
357:
351:
348:
342:
338:
335:
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284:cephalopods.
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248:perisphinctid
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213:Eleganticeras
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92:Egg taphonomy
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61:little chance
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57:fossil record
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1689:
1677:
1470:Onsen tamago
1235:
1140:
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1054:Nuchal organ
953:Hectocotylus
842:Fins (wings)
748:Body chamber
712:Periostracum
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277:Pectinatites
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260:Pectinatites
258:
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233:Dorset Coast
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185:
159:
140:harpoceratid
132:
106:ammonitellae
95:
40:
39:
24:
1713:Egg fossils
1588:Fabergé egg
1141:Egg fossils
1100:Photophores
1063:Other parts
1008:Odontophore
930:Head &
763:Phragmocone
166:Muschelkalk
146:age of the
110:crystalline
53:cephalopods
47:remains of
1707:Categories
1598:HowToBasic
1593:Free range
1568:Easter egg
1563:Decorating
1545:In culture
1435:Deep fried
1356:Components
1236:Cephalopod
1075:Statocysts
912:Osphradium
650:Cuttlebone
576:Cephalopod
505:References
322:Egg fossil
294:belemnites
288:Belemnoids
207:carbonized
156:macroconch
98:scavengers
45:fossilized
1553:Balancing
1515:Scrambled
1327:Ovulation
1317:Oviparity
1297:Oogenesis
1256:Pathology
1218:Monotreme
1133:Paralarva
960:Tentacles
773:Siphuncle
732:Umbilicus
717:Sculpture
622:Orthocone
343:Footnotes
182:Kamchatka
164:from the
161:Ceratites
129:Ammonoids
113:phosphate
86:Taphonomy
80:belemnoid
65:ammonoids
23:Possible
1679:Category
1480:Powdered
1465:Omelette
1460:Meringue
1410:Benedict
1377:membrane
1277:Egg cell
1250:dinosaur
998:Aptychus
970:Dactylus
741:Internal
692:Aperture
685:External
678:Features
633:Internal
600:External
300:See also
225:ammonite
178:Triassic
148:Jurassic
144:Toarcian
69:Jurassic
51:laid by
43:are the
1691:Commons
1660:Tossing
1655:Tapping
1650:Rolling
1638:Pysanka
1623:Organic
1618:Oomancy
1530:Soufflé
1520:Shirred
1485:Pickled
1475:Poached
1440:Deviled
1425:Coddled
1420:Century
1392:As food
1382:Chalaza
1342:Trophic
1312:Oviduct
1302:Ootheca
1272:Allergy
1265:Biology
1246:Reptile
1088:General
888:Ink sac
753:Camerae
727:Sutures
578:anatomy
529:Geology
512:Lethaia
282:neritic
269:eudemic
237:England
231:of the
176:of the
174:Anisian
170:Germany
76:England
35:England
1613:Oology
1583:Egging
1558:Carton
1525:Smoked
1510:Scotch
1505:Salted
1490:Quiche
1445:Eggnog
1415:Boiled
1347:Zygote
1292:Oogamy
1282:Embryo
1013:Radula
965:Carpus
822:funnel
819:&
817:Mantle
778:Whorls
702:Callus
665:Stylet
118:oxygen
55:. The
1500:Salad
1450:Fried
1405:Balut
1373:Shell
1368:White
1337:Tooth
1332:Spawn
1307:Ovary
1201:Types
1129:Spawn
975:Manus
933:limbs
768:Septa
758:Nacre
722:Spire
707:Lirae
593:Types
585:Shell
218:Trias
194:is a
138:of a
1608:Hunt
1455:Iron
1375:and
1363:Yolk
1241:Fish
1208:Bird
1185:Eggs
1070:Eyes
1003:Beak
948:Arms
890:and
857:Tail
697:Apex
275:and
257:and
203:Lias
100:and
49:eggs
1535:Tea
1495:Roe
892:ink
536:doi
519:doi
235:in
168:of
74:of
33:of
1709::
1143:•
1131:→
532:24
515:42
419:^
407:^
368:^
263:.
1252:)
1248:(
1177:e
1170:t
1163:v
1135:(
568:e
561:t
554:v
538::
521::
267:"
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